Hand tool for opening cans

ABSTRACT

A one piece hand tool for opening cans by unfolding the can rim (that conventionally appears at the cam end ridge), said tool comprising a lever having a hand gripping portion at one end of same and a blade portion at the other end of same, with the blade portion defining a working edge that is convexly rounded longitudinally of the tool, that is grooved longitudinally of the tool, and that is offset to one side of the lever for application against the side of the can and under the can ridge. The lever also has a fulcrum member located between its working edge and its hand grip portion, and projecting from the side of the lever from which the working edge is offset, which fulcrum is for application on top of the can ridge, whereby when the hand tool is positioned as indicated relative to the can, actuation of the lever hand grip portion axially of the can and intermittent movement of the can by hand relative to the tool, effects an unfolding of the can ridge to the point that the can end can be tilted or pried, using the hand tool, free of the can side wall, all without cutting or tearing the can components involved.

Unite States Patent [191 Young June 24, 1975 [76] Inventor:

[ HAND TOOL FOR OPENING CANS Claude A. Young, 126 Kensington, LaGrange, Ill. 60525 22 Filedi Sept. 30, 1974 211 Appl. No.: 510,618

Primary ExaminerDonald G. Kelly Assistant Examiner-Roscoe V. Parker Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Mann, Brown, McWilliams & Bradway 57] ABSTRACT A one piece hand tool for opening cans by unfolding the can rim (that conventionally appears at the cam end ridge), said tool comprising a lever having a hand gripping portion at one end of same and a blade portion at the other end of same, with the blade portion defining a working edge that is convexly rounded longitudinally of the tool, that is grooved longitudinally of the tool, and that is offset to one side of the lever for application against the side of the can and under the can ridge. The lever also has a fulcrum member located between its working edge and its hand grip portion, and projecting from the side of the lever from which the working edge is offset, which fulcrum is for application on top of the can ridge, whereby when the hand tool is positioned as indicated relative to the can, actuation of the lever hand grip portion axially of the can and intermittent movement of the can by hand relative to the tool, effects an unfolding of the can ridge to the point that the can end can be tilted or pried, using the hand tool, free of the can side wall, all without cutting or tearing the can components involved.

8 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures HAND TOOL FOR OPENING CANS This invention relates to a hand tool for opening cans, and more particularly to a can opening hand tool for removing a can end without cutting or tearing the can end or side wall.

My US. Pat. Nos. 3,006,303 and 3,344,763 disclose can opening arrangements that eliminate the need to cut or tear cans to get them open, together with the consequent formation of metal fragments that drop into the food. Instead, the can is opened by unfolding the rim of the can that joins the can end with the can side wall. Thus, the can seam about the rim of the can is unfolded, or deseamed.

Most cans are made up of a tubular metal body that forms the can side wall and two closure or end portions that form the respective ends of the can. As is well known, such cans may be cylindrical or round in shape in the case of cans of the type in which vegetables and fruits and the like are packaged, or they may be other than round in shape in the case of containers for sardines, hams. and the like. The elements or component parts of the can are secured together by placing together the rim of a can end or closure and the rim of a can body or side wall, and bending such rims over against the outside surface of the can body or side wall in such a manner that a seam in the form of a ridge is formed at the end of the can which projects outwardly from the end of the can in parallelism with the can. The folding action is such that a portion of the can end or closure rim is interposed between the can body or side wall outer surface, and the can body or side wall rim. This, together with an appropriate seal interposed between the rims, provides a complete packaging seal.

The inventions of my said patents are concerned with the opening or deseaming of such cans by separating the rim of the can end or closure from the rim of the can body or side wall, that is by undoing the assembly process, whereby the can may be opened without penetrating it or otherwise exposing the can contents to contamination prior to removal of the can end.

My U.S. Pat. No. 3,366,085 discloses a plier type can opening hand tool having cooperating wedge and anvil jaws for effecting opening of cans by unfolding the can ridge utilizing the tool as described in said US. Pat. No. 3,3 66,085 again without requiring any penetration of the can or cutting or tearing of either the can end or can side wall.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a one piece hand tool for opening cans by unfolding the can ridge, when the tool is especially adapted for hand operation and may be used to both unfold the can ridge and pry the can end rim from the can body or side wall rim, and also may be used to straighten out dented can rims.

Another principal object of the invention is to provide a one piece can opening hand tool of the can end unfolding type that may be employed in connection with a wide variety of shapes of cans and as readily as, but more safely than. and without the deleterious effects of any conventional cutting type can opening hand tool.

Still other objects of the invention are to provide a hand tool of the can end unfolding or deseaming type that is economical of manufacutre, convenient to carry and use, and long lived in operation.

In accordance with this invention, a hand tool for opening cans, by unfolding the rim of the can, is provided characterized by its being of one piece construction and being in the form of a lever having a hand grip portion at one end of same and a blade portion at its other end, with the blade portion defining a rounded working edge that is offset to one side of the lever and that is grooved longitudinally of the lever for application against the side of the can and under the can ridge at the end of the can that is to be opened. The lever also has a fulcrum member located adjacent its blade portion and projecting from the side of the lever from which the blade portion working edge is offset, for application on top of the can ridge to be unfolded. The hand grip portion is pressed in the direction of the can to swing the composite flange structure that forms the can ridge outwardly of and up to an obtuse angular relation with respect to the can side wall, with the can being turned or rotated after each application of the hand tool to the can. When the can ridge has been unfolded to leave an unfolded portion of approximately three-quarters of an inch, the hand tool may be applied to the upstanding flange structure, approximately opposite the portion of the can ridge which is yet unfolded, with the fulcrum placed on the inside of the can ridge and the outwardly projecting edge of the can ridge flange structure lodged within the groove of its blade portion working edge, whereby on rotating the hand tool about its longitudinal axis in the direction of the unfolded portion of the can ridge, the lid will be pried free of the can side wall. Alternately, the can ridge may be completely unfolded (in the manner indicated) and the hand tool employed as described to pry the lid free of the can side wall, which leaves the lid in a shape suitable for reapplication to the can for closing purposes.

Other objects, uses, and advantages will become obvious or be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1A is a fragmental cross-sectional view through a conventional can edge portion, on an enlarged scale, for the purpose of illustrating the parts involved;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the device, taken from the left hand end of the tool as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the device, taken from the right hand side of the tool as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the device;

FIGS. 5-7 are diagrammatic views illustrating the manner in which the device is applied to a can for purposes of unfolding the can end ridge to open the can;

FIG. 8 is similar to the showing of FIGS. 57, but illustrates the manner in which the can end may be pried loose from the can body side wall after the can ridge has been sufficiently unfolded;

FIGS. 9-12A are diagrammatic views illustrating in largely diagram form the manner in which the invention is operative on the can end ridge in unfolding same;

FIG. 13 is a view similar in nature to the showing of FIGS. 9-12 but illustrating a modified form of the invention, as applied to the familiar necked-in type cans;

FIG. 14 is an end view of the hand toolembodying the general arrangement illustrated in FIG..13; and

FIG. 15 is a fragmental top plan view of the hand tool shown in FIG. 14.

However, it is to be distinctly understood that the specific drawing illustrations provided are supplied primarily to comply with the requirements of the Patent Laws, and that the invention may have other embodiments that will be obvious to those skilled in the art. and which are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Reference numeral generally indicates a preferred embodiment of the invention which generally comprises a lever 12 having a hand grip portion 15 at one end of same, a blade portion 16 at the other end of same provided with a working edge 17 that is convexly curved longitudinally of the hand tool (see FIG. 3), which edge 17 is formed with a groove 18 extending longitudinally of same. As indicated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the working edge 17 of the tool blade portion 16 is offset to one side of the lever. The tool 10 also includes a fulcrum 19 projecting from the side of the tool from which the working edge 17 is offset.

The hand tool 10 is especially adapted for opening conventional containers of the general type indicated at 20 in FIGS. 5-8, which containers are known as cans and are conventionally sealed in the manner indicated in FIG. 1A by having the rim or flange 22 of the can body or side wall 24 and the rim or flange 26 of the can end or closure 28 placed together and bent over against the outer surface 30 of the can side wall. Ordinarily a sealant material is applied between the rims or flanges 22 and 26 where indicated at 32, and the can end is dished somewhat so that the ridge 33 is formed by the bent together rims or flanges 22 or 26. As formed, ridge 33 defines inner and outer side walls 37 and 39 that are formed by the indicated portions of the can end or closure 28.

It will be noted that the ridge 33 exteriorly of can side wall surface 30 is in the form of a composite flange structure generally indicated by reference numberal 35 having one end 36 of same directed outwardly and endwise of the can 20, and the other end 38 of same disposed about the can side wall or body outer surface 30 and directed toward the other end of the can.

Most cans of the familiar can type in use at the present time are sealed in the manner indicated in FIG. 1A, and this is ordinarily done by machines of well known design that require no specific description. Cutting type can openers, in being used to open such containers both penetrate the container and form metal fragments, during the cutting operation, a significant portion of whichmay fall into the container contents with resultant contamination.

In accordance with this invention, the hand tool 10 is arranged to cooperate with the can ridge 33, for purposes of deseaming or unfolding same, and about the circumference of the can, in the manner indicated FIGS. 9-12 to open the can without penetrating the can, and without cutting the can components.

In the form shown, the lever 12 is of one piece construction insofar as operating parts are concerned, and is formed from a length 40 of suitable steel or the like to define an elongate shank 42 that isrectilinear in configuration, and which may optionally have a rubberized coating 44 for the comfort of the user.

The shank 42 is integral with the hand tool head 48 that is of blade configuration and defines the blade portion 16. In the form of FIGS. 18, the head 48 is bodily offset from the plane of the hand tool shank 42 a dimension approximating the greatest thickness of the can ridge 33 will have in standard size cans, but is in parallelism therewith, as indicated in FIG. 2. The shank 42 and head 48 are generally planar in construction. The thickness of the can ridge will be approximately 0.050-0.09O inch, depending on the size of the can and thickness of the plate from which it is made.

As indicated in FIG. 3, the working edge 17 of the tool blade portion 16 is convex longitudinally of the tool. Edge 17 extends approximately from the forward tip 50 of the tool through a crest 57 and to the base end 52 of the tool head 48, wherein the top edging of the shank and head are shaped to define a notch 54.

The fulcrum 19 in the form shown generally comprises a flange 56 projecting laterally of the tool shank 42, from the side of same that the working edge 17 is offset therefrom, with the flange 56 projecting generally normally of the shank 42 and head 48. Flange 56 defines a convexly rounded working surface 58 that faces generally oppositely of the working edge 17. Surface 58 preferably is serrated as indicated at 59 for biting engagement with the can ridge end 36. Surface 58 and working edge 17 are oriented such that a plane extending longitudinally of the tool and tangent to surface 58 and working edge 17 will be in substantial parallelism with hand grip portion 15.

The groove 18 that is defined by the working edge 17 ends from and between blade tip 50 and base 52, across crest 59, and is proportioned to define rims 60 and 62 (see FIGS. 2and 9-11) that extend marginally of the working edge 17 and longitudinally of the tool. The marginal rim 60 which is to be disposed in adjacency to the can side wall 24 in utilizing the hand tool, is of wedge configuration to aid in initial separation of the can ridge flange structure 35 from the can side wall 24 on each stroke of the tool, as will be referred to in the description of operation of the hand tool.

The tool head 48 defines a side face 64 which faces in the direction of projection of the flange 56, as well as an opposing face 66 on the other side of same. The tool shank defines oppositely facing side surfaces or faces 68 and 70. The offsetting of the tool head 48 relative to shank 42, that adapts tool 10 for uniform application to commerical can sizes, will dispose tool head surface 66 in substantial alignment with shank surface 68; suitable positioning of the tool hand portion, laterally of the can side wall, may be effected as needed to bring working edge 17 into proper engagement with the can ridge end 38, as contemplated by this invention.

The tool 10 that is specifically illustrated in FIGS. 1-8 is for use by right handed persons.

A hand tool of the same type as hand tool 10 may be provided for left handed persons by forming the hand tool such that the blade portion 16 and fulcrum 19 are respectively offset and projected from the side of the hand tool that is opposite from that involved in the hand tool l0, or in other words, from the left hand side of the tool as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In such case, the rim 62 of the working edge would be the marginal rim of the working edge 17 that cooperates with the can ridge flange structure.

Utilizing the hand tool 10, the hand tool 10 is placed in cooperation with the ridge 33 at the end of the can that is to be opened, in the manner indicated in FIGS. and 9, wherein the tool blade portion 16 is placed against the side surface 30 of the can side wall 28 and with the working edge 17 disposed to seat the end 38 of the can ridge flange structure 35 in the working edge groove 18, with the hand tool fulcrum 19 being disposed on top of the can ridge end 36. For this purpose, the hand tool is suitably gripped by the user with his right hand, and the can 20 is held in the users left hand, as by grasping the can side wall and placing the lower end of the can on a suitable firm surface.

As indicated in FIG. 9, this disposes the working edge marginal rim 60 (that is defined by the working edge groove 18) between the lower edge 38 of the can ridge 33, and the surface 30 of the can side wall '24.

When the hand tool is so positioned that the working edge 17 of the tool .bladeportion 16 engages the can ridge as indicated in F109, and the flange 56 that defines the tool fulcrum 19 engages the end 36 of the can ridge, the tool will be angled at approximately 45 with respect to the plane or level of the can end 28. The handle portion of the hand tool is then swung downwardly, as indicated in FIG. 6, whereby the hand tool fulcrums against the end 36 of the can ridge 333.1111 the tool blade portion 16 moves upwardly'to swing'the can ridge flange structure 35 between the positions of FIG. 9 and FIG. 12A, in which case the tool will be lowered at its end portion end to approximate planar relation with the level of the can end being removed. In this connection, notch 54 accommodates the reception of the can ridge 33 between the tool fulcrum l9 and its working edge 17. Also, the position of the tool working edge 17 longitudinally of the tool from fulcrum 19 allows a bending of the can flanges 22 and 26 radially inwardly of the can, of the general nature indicated in FIGS. 12 and 12A, that is effective to complete unfolding of the can flanges 22 and 26.

The tool handle portion 15 is then returned to its starting relation relative to the can, and the can is then shifted counterclockwise an amount approximating about half the length of the tool blade 16 (longitudinally of the tool), and the operation repeated, to effect the upward swinging of another section of the can flange structure 35 to the upwardly angled relation of FIG. 12A that has the indicated obtuse (near 180) angular relation with respect to the side wall 24 of the can with the flanges 22 and 26 at or near the state of separation shown in FIG. 12A.

This procedure is repeated until the can ridge flange structure 36 has the positioningof FIG. 12A about the can ridge except for about Arinch of the ridge circumference, at which time the hand tool 10 may be positioned as indicated in FIG. 8 to effect separation of the can end 28 from the can side wall 24.

For this purpose, the hand tool 10 is then disposed more or less parallel, flatwise, to the plane of the can end 28 and the fulcrum 19 placed against the inside cylindrical surface 37 of the ridge 33, and the working edge 17 of the blade portion 16 disposed to lodge the now upwardly projecting end 38 of the ridge 33 in the tool groove 18. By now rotating the hand tool approximately about its longitudinal axis, in the manner indicated in FIG. 8, a prying action is exerted on the can end 28 whichis effective to draw the can end rim 26 away from the can side wall rim or flange 22.

In this connection, it is preferable to dispose the hand tool 10, when used for this can end prying purpose, ap-

6 proximately opposite the portion 80 of the can ridge 33 that remains unfolded. When this is done, the can lid may be fully separated from the can side wall.

Alternately, the seam unfolding procedure indicated may be effected around about one-half of the can ridge circumference, and then the tool applied to the can in the manner described with reference to FIG. 8, to pry or lift the freed edging of the can lid free of the can body. Completing of the ridge unfolding procedure around the can ridge, up to about the three-quarterinch of unfolded ridge previously indicated, will leave the can lid or end upstanding in reference to the can body at an angle of or better for ready removal of the can contents without fully disconnecting the can end from the can body.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 13-15, the hand tool blade portion 16A is coplanar with the tool handle portion 15 except for the working edge portion 17A of same, which is angled to the same side of the hand tool from which the fulcrum 19 projects. This disposes the edge portion 17A in offset relation to the hand tool hand portion 15, though in substantial parallelism to the hand portion 15, as indicated in FIGS. 14 and 15.

The hand tool 10A is especially adapted for use in connection'with the familiar necked-in type container 20A that is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 13, whereby the angulation of the tool blade portion disposes its working edge for correct cooperation with the can ridge flange structure 35 in accordance with this invention. The manner of use of tool 10A is the same as described in connection with the hand tool 10.

The tools 10 and 10A may readily be formed in the one piece configurations indicated by employing suit able stamping and forming procedures. The tools also lend themselves to mechanization, which would involve incorporating the basic tool components in a power driven deseamer.

It will therefore be seen that the invention provides a one piece hand tool for opening cans, by unfolding the can ridge structure that joins the can end to the can side wall, thereby avoiding piercing of the can during the can opening operation or the cutting or tearing of the can end or side wall that has been found to result where this is desired. The one piece construction and exposed surface involved facilitate and simplify cleaning.

The resulting edge surfaces of the can end and can side wall are free of sharp edges, but in any event require no handling by the user of the tool.

The hand tool of this invention thus provides the can opening advantages of my said patents.

Basically the invention provides a one piece can opener or deseamer which effects removal of the can lid or end in one piece form.

While the one piece construction illustrated is preferred, the handle portion 15, blade portion 16, and fulcrum portion 19 may be separate components suitably affixed together to have the relationships indicated. The handle portion 15 may be of the round handle type. instead of the flat handle type illustrated, though the shape illustrated is preferred for the one piece construction that is preferred. Tool lengths of four, six, nine and twelve inches provide a selection of tools that will open all sizes of commercial cans.

In the tool 10, blade portion 16 is offset from the plane of handle portion 15 about 0.090 inch, which is approximately the greatest thickness of the ridge 33 for standard can sizes. The working side 82 of the fulcrum forming flange 56 is spaced from the crest 59 of working edge 17 about 9/32nds of an inch. Flange 56 is approximately /l6ths inch in width (longitudinally of the tool). Tool 10A is similarly proportioned.

The tools 10 and 10A are also adapted for reshaping dents in can ridges 33 to restore the normal circular shape of the can ridge. This is done by applying the tool to the can in the manner indicated in FIG. 8, with the fulcrum l9 bearing against the ridge indentation, and pressing the tool hand grip portion away from the observer, as required to bend the dented portion of the can ridge outwardly of the can. In the case of an outwardly directed dent, the action may be reversed. Several positioning adjustments of the tool about the circumference of the can ridge, with repetition of the ridge bending function referred to, may be necessary to sufficiently restore the circular shape of the ridge for can opening purposes.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A can opener of the type adapted to open cans by unfolding the can ridge that is formed at one end of the can by folding the end rims of the can end closure and can side wall against the side of the can to define one ridge edge that projects away from the can, a second opposing ridge edge that lies about the can side wall, and a composite flange structure separating said ridge ends that lie about the can side wall in juxtaposition therewith, said opener comprising:

a lever having a hand grip portion at one end of same,

with the other end of said lever defining a blade portion,

said blade portion defining a rounded working edge that is convexly rounded longitudinally of said lever and is grooved longitudinally of same,

said working edge being offset to one side of said lever approximately 0.090 inch but being in substantial parallelism with said lever hand grip por- 8 tion,

with said groove being proportioned to define along the side of said blade portion edge that is at said one side of said lever a marginal wedging rim proportioned to be wedged between the can ridge second edge and the can side wall,

and a fulcrum element fixed to said lever and adjacent said blade portion and between same and said hand grip portion and projecting laterally of said blade portion, in the direction said blade portion is offset from said hand grip portion, for placing same on the can ridge one edge for fulcrum serving purposes,

whereby, when the side of said blade portion at said one side of said lever is placed insubstantial tangency with the can side wall with said working edge engaging the can ridge second edge and the fulcrum element engaging the can ridge one edge, said lever hand grip portion may be actuated by hand axially of the can to effect a swinging of the can ridge flange structure about the can ridge one edge and away from the can side wall to a diagonally directed relation with the can side wall, with the ridge second end projecting at an obtuse angle relative to,the can side wall, whereupon the can end may be separated from the can side wall by drawing the can end away from the can side wall.

2. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said lever portions are of substantially planar rectilinear configuration,

said lever portions being in substantial parallelism.

3. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said lever portions are of rectilinear configuration,

and are in substantial coplanar relation.

4. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said lever defines a notch between said working edge and said fulcrum member for accommodating reception of a can ridge therebetween. 5. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein: said working edge groove of said blade portion is convexly rounded longitudinally of said lever,

said working edge having a crest that is in substantially tangent relation with the level of the underside of said fulcrum element.

6. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein said lever is of one piece construction.

7. The can opener set forth in claim 5 wherein the underside of said fulcrum element is convexly rounded longitudinally of said lever.

8. The can opener set forth in claim 7 wherein said fulcrum element underside is serrated. 

1. A can opener of the type adapted to open cans by unfolding the can ridge that is formed at one end of the can by folding the end rims of the can end closure and can side wall against the side of the can to define one ridge edge that projects away from the can, a second opposing ridge edge that lies about the can side wall, and a composite flange structure separating said ridge ends that lie about the can side wall in juxtaposition therewith, said opener comprising: a lever having a hand grip portion at one end of same, with the other end of said lever defining a blade portion, said blade portion defining a rounded working edge that is convexly rounded longitudinally of said lever and is grooved longitudinally of same, said working edge being offset to one side of said lever approximately 0.090 inch but being in substantial parallelism with said lever hand grip portion, with said groove being proportioned to define along the side of said blade portion edge that is at said one side of said lever a marginal wedging rim proportioned to be wedged between the can ridge second edge and the can side wall, and a fulcrum element fixed to said lever and adjacent said blade portion and between same and said hand grip portion and projecting laterally of said blade portion, in the direction said blade portion is offset from said hand grip portion, for placing same on the can ridge one edge for fulcrum serving purposes, whereby, when the side of said blade portion at said one side of said lever is placed in substantial tangency with the can side wall with said working edge engaging the can ridge second edge and the fulcrum element engaging the can ridge one edge, said lever hand grip portion may be actuated by hand axially of the can to effect a swinging of the can ridge flange structure about the can ridge one edge and away from the can side wall to a diagonally directed relation with the can side wall, with the ridge second end projecting at an obtuse angle relative to the can side wall, whereupon the can end may be separated from the can side wall by drawing the can end away from the can side wall.
 2. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein: said lever portions are of substantially planar rectilinear configuration, said lever portions being in substantial parallelism.
 3. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein: said lever portions are of rectilinear configuration, and are in substantial coplanar relation.
 4. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein: said lever defines a notch between said working edge and said fulcrum member for accommodating reception of a can ridge therebetween.
 5. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein: said working edge groove of said blade portion is convexly rounded longitudinally of said lever, said working edge having a crest that is in substantially tangent relation with the level of the underside of said fulcrum element.
 6. The can opener set forth in claim 1 wherein said lever is of one piece construction.
 7. The can opener set forth in claim 5 wherein the underside of said fulcrum element is convexly rounded longitudinally of said lever.
 8. The can opener set forth in claim 7 wherein said fulcrum element underside is serrated. 